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For landowners · East Sussex

Landowner Joint Ventures in Brighton

Can I enter a joint venture on land in Brighton?

Joint ventures in Brighton suit landowners who can wait for their money and are comfortable with uncertainty. Your land becomes part of a development, with Land to Homes, part of the S&K Group, running planning and construction. How costs, profit, decisions and any lender's security over the land are handled is all set out in the agreement.

Landowner and surveyor at a wooden field gate looking over a paddock behind town gardensBrighton · BN2

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Tell us about your land and we will call you back. No cost, no obligation.

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  • Free site appraisalNo cost, no obligation
  • Legal fees coveredReasonable fees, on options and promotion
  • Nothing to pay upfrontOn promotion: we fund planning
  • Direct purchaseSuitable sites, with or without planning
  • UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI

Selling land around Brighton

Brighton (BN2) is the hub of our East Sussex coverage, with 9 further towns covered. Nearby, we also cover Hove, Portslade and Rottingdean, all within 4 miles. Brighton is in the South East region of England.

In and around Brighton, the land we appraise ranges from backland plots with a workable access to paddocks on the edge of Brighton, including large and long rear gardens. Because Brighton is in England, land titles are registered with HM Land Registry and transfers attract Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).

If you own land near Brighton, the first step is a free, no-obligation appraisal.

Why work with Land to Homes in Brighton

Advice before commitment

Joint ventures carry real commercial risk. We always recommend independent legal, tax and valuation advice, and we will say plainly if a straight sale or an option looks like a better fit for you.

Decisions and deadlock

The agreement should say who decides on design, pricing, contractors and programme, which matters need both parties' consent, and how any disagreement is resolved without stalling the project.

Land value agreed first

Your land is valued at the outset so everyone knows what it contributes. That figure often sets an entitlement paid to you before any profit is shared, which is a key protection in most structures.

Choice of structure

A joint venture can be purely contractual, a joint venture company or a limited liability partnership. Each handles control, liability, tax and exit differently, and your own advisers should help you choose.

How the rules work in Brighton

In England, most planning applications for new homes in Brighton are decided by the local planning authority, usually the council, using its Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework. Many landowners sell without planning, either outright or through an option or promotion agreement that funds the application first. Land to Homes offers a free site appraisal, pays your reasonable legal fees on option and promotion agreements, and can buy suitable sites directly, subject to survey, title and contract.

In England, a joint venture scheme still has to meet the Local Plan, the NPPF and, where it applies, biodiversity net gain. Affordable housing is usually secured through a Section 106 agreement, which affects cash flow. If land is transferred into a joint venture company, Stamp Duty Land Tax can arise, and the transfer is registered at HM Land Registry.

Key rules in Brighton
National planning policyNational Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised August 2026, with national planning practice guidance
Local planning documentLocal Plan
In-principle consentOutline planning permission, with reserved matters approved later
Developer contributionsSection 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it

Common questions in Brighton

How is a property joint venture taxed?

It depends on the structure and your circumstances. Taking part in development can change how your proceeds are taxed, for example as income rather than a capital gain, and moving land into a company can trigger stamp duty or its equivalent in your nation. Speak to an accountant before agreeing any structure.

What is a landowner joint venture?

It is an arrangement where a landowner and a developer pool what they have to deliver a development. The landowner usually contributes the land, and the developer contributes expertise, management and access to funding. Instead of a fixed price at the start, the landowner shares in the outcome once homes are sold or let, under agreed terms.

Will a lender take a charge over my land in a joint venture?

Often, yes. Development lenders normally require security, and the land is the main asset. If your land is charged and the project fails, the lender may be able to sell it. Some structures delay transferring or charging the land, so take legal advice on how your interest is protected.

What happens if the joint venture does not get planning?

The agreement should say. Common approaches include ending the venture with each party bearing its own costs, or allowing a revised application within a set period. Make sure you know whether any planning costs could ever be charged to you, and in what circumstances, before you sign.

Do you work with landowners in Brighton?

We do. We work with landowners in Brighton and elsewhere in East Sussex, including Rottingdean, Seaford and Eastbourne. Send us a postcode and we will start with a free, no-obligation appraisal of what the land could take.

Read more: Landowner Joint Ventures · Guide: Landowner joint ventures explained: sharing in the development

Own land that could take new homes?

Start with a free, no-obligation site appraisal. On option and promotion agreements we fund the planning work and pay your reasonable legal fees.

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